Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Since Lancelot knew what kind of person Bismarck was, he had to accept it...

Lancelot clenched his fists as he knew what had just happened.

”So... they’re gone. All of them. And by the hands of a single Tyrant Zombie?” The thought gnawed at him. Something about the report didn’t add up. Tyrants were dangerous, yes, but not capable of wiping out an elite squad armed with Legendary weapons.

He was bothered, restless by the thought of a single high-tier Zombie killing multiple Level 50 or more Survivors...

His instincts told him there was more to this than the reports suggested. Perhaps that Tyrant was just a bait. Perhaps other people were hiding, waiting to ambush them.

It wouldn’t be surprising to use that tactic since they have used it themselves.

Still, it was quite surprising that they didn’t even have the time to send information through chat about their situation. There was no request for reinforcements at all.

It means that they were most likely confident they could win all the time, or perhaps, they got poisoned and couldn’t even move.

There were so many possibilities of what could’ve happened, yet he had no time to dwell.

The Overlord Clan was already under threat from a far greater enemy... the Floating Fortress of Shane.

He knew that it was slowly getting closer to their shelter and they must prepare for it...

It was a good thing that it was travelling really slow, so they had the time to ready their arsenal.

They know a few things about this Floating Fortress since they were able to bribe 12 of its passengers before. It was during the Red Night Event when Shane sold some seats to the public.

They were now aware that it wasn’t just a colossal war platform drifting across the skies... It was filled with cannons and mystical artillery. It also had mysterious elves among its ranks carrying large Mech Frames and Lancelot knew it would eventually descend upon their territory.

That was why he was busy now, overseeing the preparation of their mystical rockets.

’If you think you can surprise me with your Floating Fortress, you’re wrong...’ Lancelot thought. Aside from gathering numerous Clans under his banner, he was also upgrading his weapons and was continuously experimenting with various Neutral and Wild Shelters to test their strength.

Furthermore, there was another reason why he wanted to claim most of the Spirit Vein. It wasn’t just because he was greedy and wanted to control all the Spirit Vein and become incredibly rich... It was all part of his grand plan.

***

In the underground forges of Lancelot’s shelter, workers hammered enchanted alloys into shape...

They were his Mystic Rockets.

Each rocket casing was enchanted by several Survivors with Enchantment or Reinforcement Talent.

They were making items that should be capable of piercing through any barriers after all.

’Those barriers would be nothing with these rockets...’ Lancelot thought as he looked at their creations.

One of the most annoying things about raiding a shelter was not the cannons, walls, or the watchtowers of the enemies... It was the existence of Barrier Generators... This was especially true for those barriers that were powered by Spirit Stones.

After all, having unlimited Spirit Stones means unlimited Barrier energy. It was something that shouldn’t be allowed, in his opinion.

Then, some Alchemists also brewed volatile mixtures of spirit-infused fuel... In their secret laboratories, their cauldrons were glowing with eerie light as they continued on their project.

There were also some engineers calibrating the guidance array created by one of the Survivor Mages in his Clan. Of course, this array was also mixed with modern targeting systems.

Lancelot himself inspected every batch of materials. He checked the purity of the alloys, the stability of the fuel, and the perfection of the targeting systems... He knew very well that one flaw could mean disaster when the Floating Fortress finally appeared.

Around him, his army trained relentlessly.

There were ballista crews practicing loading and firing enchanted bolts. Shield bearers drilled in formation, their small barrier generators were also being activated from time to time...

Then, a small unit of Elite Spellcasters rehearsed synchronized chants to amplify the rockets’ trajectory.

”Good...”

Lancelot’s mind was split between grief and duty. His brother Bismarck was gone, swallowed by silence and mystery. But the clan could not falter. The Floating Fortress was coming, and only overwhelming firepower would keep them alive.

He stood at the edge of the foundry, watching sparks fly as another rocket was completed. His eyes narrowed, his voice low.

”Whoever or whatever killed my brother will pay. But first, the Fortress. We will be ready.”

***

In the meantime, the Floating Fortress of Shane drifted slowly across the skies...

Four days remained before it reached the Overlord Clan’s shelter, and inside its halls, the five divisions prepared for war.

In the training chambers, Sylas, the Legendary Elf and the head of the Assassination Division, watched his operatives melt into the darkness...

These assassins he had created were a mix of Elves and Humans.

It was easier to train elves with their ability to accept Mana from him. However, the Humans were also skilled, but they needed a lot of time to learn.

Still, once they learned the assassination skills, they were incredibly fast to improve.

”Again,” he ordered... ”No sound. No hesitation. When the time comes, you will strike before they even realize you’re there.”

One of his assassins hesitated, stepping too loudly. Sylas appeared behind him in an instant, his Shadowstep leaving only a ripple of darkness.

”Dead,” Sylas whispered. ”That mistake would have cost you your life. Fix it.”

”S-sorry!”

”It’s fine... Just continue your training...”

Well, Sylas had three skills he passed to each of them. They were Shadowstep, Assassinate, and Cloak of Silence.

[ Shadowstep Lv10 (Max): Grants instantaneous movement through shadows within a 30-meter radius. Cooldown reduced by 40%. ]

[ Assassinate Lv10 (Max): A lethal strike skill targeting vital points.

Effects:

+60% critical damage, +30% chance to instantly incapacitate targets weaker than the user. ]

[ Cloak of Silence Lv10 (Max):

Surrounds the user in an aura that suppresses sound and killing intent.

Effects:

Complete silence within 10 meters.

Enemies have -50% perception accuracy toward the user. ]

He had achieved Level 10 on each of them, but his team had only reached Level 2 or 3... He was hoping to get them to Level 4 or even 5 before the battle.

It might be difficult, but he wanted to see through it.

Meanwhile, in another hall of the Medical Division, Serenya moved among her healers.

Her mastery of Nature’s Renewal, Purification, and Nature’s Guardian ensured that Shane’s army could fight longer and harder than any rival.

Serenya’s healers worked tirelessly in green chambers filled with enchanted flora, where vines and roots could provide healing abilities.

The division was just here to tend the wounded. They were also here to brew restorative tonics, strengthening pills, and provide protective barriers, ensuring that when battle came, Shane’s soldiers would not weaken so easily.

***

The Artillery Division, on the other hand, was filled with life...

Elandor, the Legendary Elf and Archmage, raised his staff as he looked at his team of long-range fighters.

They were cannoneers, ballista operators, snipers, mages, longbowmen, marksmen, and others.

All of them knew how to operate the cannons and other destructive weapons within the Floating Fortress.

Nonetheless, Elandor had also decided to teach those Elves in his division some of his important skills. After all, this Floating Fortress doesn’t have the World Tree. It was left in the Eclipse Domain.

In short, they would have to rely on Mana Stones they were carrying or planted everywhere within the fortress.

[ Mana Convergence Lv10 (Max): Allows the user to draw ambient mana into himself and allies, replenishing reserves quickly.

Effects:

+50% mana regeneration speed within 50 meters.

Allies within range regenerate +25% faster. ]

[ Arcane Barrier Lv10 (Max): Generates powerful protective barriers against both physical and magical damage.

Effects:

Barrier Strength +50%

All elemental resistances +30% for allies under the ward. ]

With these two skills, they would be able to protect those who couldn’t use mana around them.

Then, in the barracks of the Combat Division, another Legendary Elf, Brion, drilled his warriors. His polearm swept in wide arcs, knocking aside three sparring partners at once.

”Hold the line!” he barked. ”Your strength is not yours alone... it belongs to the soldier beside you! Don’t think that we will not have a chance to fight because we will!”

”Yes, Master Brion!” The soldiers shouted.

Of course, there were several Legendary Recruits in this Division that didn’t require training anymore...

Indeed, Brion was supported by other Legendary recruits like Earl the Phantom Blade, Taylor the Iron Paladin with her warhorse Stormbane, and Roscoe the Deathless Arrow.

Finally, the Elite Division that was composed entirely of Super Soldiers was also prepared. At their head was Shinja the Warlord, Shane’s first Legendary recruit, who had consumed the Super Soldier Serum twice and grown into a force beyond mortal limits.

”Four more days... Do not overwork, everyone...” Shinja said calmly as he looked at the Super Soldiers who were tirelessly training.